Freshman sires represented in juvenile races at Churchill Downs

The band is getting back together.

A five-furlong maiden special weight on Thursday at Churchill Downs has drawn the first entrant from sire Gun Runner, who was 2017 Horse of the Year. Gunite is a homebred for Winchell Thoroughbreds, which co-campaigned his sire with Three Chimneys Farm, where the stallion now stands. The colt is trained by Steve Asmussen and will be ridden by Florent Geroux, also the same connections as his sire.

Gun Runner, by Candy Ride, has been well regarded in the commercial arena since entering stud in 2018, and has hit some home runs in this juvenile sale season. He was represented by a $1.7 million colt purchased by Gary Young at the boutique Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training, the second-highest price of that sale. More recently, he was represented by an $850,000 colt at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co.'s spring sale of 2-year-olds in training, purchased by Donato Lanni as agent for Michael Lund Petersen. Overall, Gun Runner is averaging $336,400 from 10 juveniles sold in the past two months.

The field of eight for Thursday's maiden special weight includes three other first-crop sires, most notably Classic Empire, an Eclipse Award champion juvenile himself. Twenty Four Mamba is trained by Mark Casse, who also conditioned his sire, and will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione.

Classic Empire, who earned his championship in 2016 and went on to finish second in the 2017 Preakness Stakes, stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud.

Eli, by Keen Ice, makes his second start after finishing sixth on debut April 7 at Keeneland. His coupled entrymate, Lt. Finn, finished fifth April 14 in Lexington, and represents first-crop sire War Correspondent.

One day prior, Dutch Clover, also by Keen Ice, will see if she can get to the mark first for her sire in a maiden special weight on the Wednesday card at Churchill. Also in that field of fillies is Sassywithattitude, by Midnight Storm.

The Wednesday feature is the $150,000 Kentucky Juvenile, with American Bound among the entries. The filly was the first starter and first winner for her sire, American Freedom, on opening day of the Keeneland spring meet.

American Freedom, who stands at Airdrie Stud, was one of three freshman sires standing in North America to have recorded a winner entering the final week of April. Gormley, standing at Spendthrift Farm, bookended the Keeneland meet for freshman sires when his first starter, Headline Report, won a maiden on closing day. Caravaggio, who began his career at Coolmore's Irish headquarters before moving to Ashford this year, has been represented by two winners in Europe thus far.